Back to School
by AresAngel
Summary: After 16 years a Ravenclaw witch returns to Hogwarts to teach. Things there changed... but not much.
1. Memories

Disclaimer: This story plays in the "Potter-verse" and nothing in there is mine. It is all made up by the wonderful J.K. Rowling. I am just a fan. Several things are mine. Jared (the Dobermann) Xena & Ares (the Ferrets) they are my "real life" pets. And they are mine. or I am theirs. I do get confused about that sometimes. I also made up an owl and a bat in this story. But I did give them names that aren't mine. I named the bat after the hottest teacher in Hogwards and the owl after the Greek Goddess of Love. I don't make money of this story. so. please don't sue me about the copyrights.  
  
And now. the Story:  
  
Chapter 1: Memories.  
  
It was already 16 years ago that I stood here the last time. King's Road Station, London. I sigh, look around me, not much has changed since that time. I try not to stand out in the crowd but that isn't easy with a big Dobermann beside me. Jared just loves traveling. He wants to great every muggle that passes us by. I sigh again. How will I ever enter platform 9 ¾ with a bouncing Dobermann on a line?  
  
At that same moment, in the carryon cage, Xena and Ares, my two Ferrets, start to move too. They are much smaller than Jared, but they don't seem to have any trouble getting peoples attention. Children stop to watch, and an old lady almost walks into a post while looking behind her. "Great!" I mumble. "I will never be able to get to the Hogwards express this way." I am so glad I decided to send my owl ahead; Aphrodite really would attract too much attention.  
  
Then I feel Severus, my bat, move. During the day he usually sleeps in my hair like an accessory. As long as he sleeps he looks more like a "Fashion- statement" then an animal. "Sleep Sevi. Sleep!!!" I whisper, thank goodness the little animal nestles back in my hair and falls asleep again. For a moment I think about the person I named my bat after. Severus Snape, a fellow student at Hogwards when I studied there. I had a secret crush on him. but I never told anybody about that then. A nice Ravenclaw witch doesn't fall in love with a Slytherin wizard. And after my 7e year I never saw him again. I don't even know what ever happened to him. Well, I didn't live in England after my graduation. I lived in the Netherlands, the country I was born in. Of course I knew what happened to James and Lily, everybody in the Wizard world knew, I also knew what happened to Sirus and Peter. But what happened to all the others. I just don't know. I sigh.  
  
Except for the animals and the strange looking luggage, I really could pass for a muggle. I lived along muggles for a long time, and I really am not that conspicuous. I ware black jeans, a white shirt and a plain jacket. Clothes you can buy everywhere in the muggleworld. But I am a witch returning to Hogwards.  
  
It all started with a letter from Professor Albus Dumbledore, asking me if I wanted to help Hagrid with teaching the "care of mythical animals" classes. Of course I wanted that. I just love animals, and if you ask me, I think all animals are magical. It would also be fun to work together with Hagrid. He was already at Hogwards when I arrived there, as a scared first year student and he waved goodbye to our train when I left 7 years later as a fully qualified witch.  
  
Finally it quieted down on platforms 9 and 10. It really was time now for me to catch that train. I take a deep breath and walk directly at the wall between the platforms. There, in the early morning sun, I see the big red train from my memories. For a moment I feel like a teenager again. The Hogwards express.  
  
There are no students on the platform. They are still home for the holidays it is August 7th and school isn't starting jet. Then I notice that I am not alone. 


	2. Meetings

A/N: 3 people reacted to my question at the end of chapter 1.   
  
* Stefan: He said that Smeagel/Golem should be the one I meet on the platform. Because he was the first to react that is what I used. * Peter wrote me a mail: "Hi I think you should meet Severus Snape and he will recognize you right away. He tells you that you grew up to be beautiful and you feel your love for Severus bloom again." This made me decide that the "I" already meets Severus in this chapter. but I don't think he will tell the main character he loves her right away, do you? * And Emma sent me a mail too: "you meet Lupin on the platform. He isn't teaching at Hogwarts this year, he is tracking Voldemort and he is heading to Hogwarts to discus Harry's , Ron's an Hermoine's safety with Albus. It will concern all the teachers, so he tells you something about it on the train. He also tells you about the others who went to Hogwarts with you. At Hogwarts you meet Snape and the butterflies are flying around you tummy, but you keep your distance because he was a Deadeater... and then on from there." I liked this too. so. Lupin is in this chapter too. But the "I" in this story will meet him on the train, I hope you don't mind, Emma?  
  
I want to thank TanYa for helping me to find a name for my main character, the "I" in this story.  
  
Disclaimer: Read at the top of chapter one most of it. but I have to add here that Smeagel/Golem and Frodo aren't mine of course. they are by are from Tolkien.  
  
******  
  
Chapter 2 - Meetings.  
  
The creature on the platform isn't big. He is bold and only wearing a loincloth. He has big scared eyes and looks up at me in fear.  
  
"Who are you?" I ask. "We are Golem." He says. "We?" I look around me, but I don't see anybody else. I look back at the crouched down man. "I am Smeagel." He says and then his appearance changes and he says "Golem!" He changes again and says "Smeagel." The little man is arguing with himself. I notice very quickly that I should address Smeagel for the best result.  
  
"Smeagel, what are you doing here? Can I help you?" "Master Frodo and Precious gone." He says, his eyes look sad and he nods. Then his appearance changes again, his eyes become hard and his mouth turn into a line. "Say nothing. No trust human. No trust anyone." "Smeagel." I try again. "Where did you see master Frodo and Precious last?" His face softens again. "Don't know." He sniffles. "On the road to Mordor." "Keep mouth shut." He tells himself. He is Golem again.  
  
The train whistles. "Come, Smeagel. Come with me, I know people who can and will help you." the little man follows. I put my luggage in the train, let Jared in it and get the travel basket. When I turn back around I notice that he is gone. "Smeagel." I call. "Golem. Smeagel." No reaction. Again the train whistles. I have to board. "Come, Smeagel." But he doesn't come. "I want to help you, but then you have to come." Again nothing. I sigh and board the train. The train is completely empty. I sit down in the first compartment and look out of the window. He is nowhere to be seen.  
  
"I'll write down all he said." I tell Jared. The dog winks at me and puts his head in my lap. Out of my purse I get a piece of parchment, a quill and a vile of ink. I stare at the empty parchment for a moment en start to write down the words.  
  
Firstly of course: Smeagel/Golem. I try to describe him in as much detail as possible. Hmmm. Big eyes and feet, bold, small and skinny. At that moment I wish I could draw. What more. Walks on hands en feet, I write. Talks in short sentences and talks to himself if he is two people. After that I take the time to describe both personalities in more detail. There was more. oh. of cause. Master Frodo, I write down, and Precious. and. "darn, what was the name of the place he and Master were going to?" I mutter. "Morer. Moder. Moter. no. Mordor." Mordor, I write. While I put away the parchment, quill and ink, I sigh "I better talk to Prof. Dumbledore about this soon, he probably knows more about this then I do."  
  
A sound comes from the traveling basket. Two pairs of curious eyes look at me. "Okey, but just for a little while." I say when I open the little door. Xena climbs over Ares to be out of the basket first. I let them run around the compartment for a while. "So, little ones, time for a nap." I yawn and put the ferrets back into their basket. Then I close my eyes.  
  
I hear a knock on the door, startled I open my eyes with and see a skinny, pail man in front of my compartment door. I thought I was the only one on the train, but clearly I am not. Vaguely the man looks familiar. "Come in." I say. "I am Cornelia Boomstra, but you can call me Cor." "I know that," he says with a friendly smile. He pets my dog on the head. "Still very fond of animals, I see."   
  
His voice is so familiar, then it clicks. "Remus, Remus Lupin!" I say. "Yes, the one and only." He is still standing in the doorway. "Please, sit down." I point at a spot on the seat across from me. "It has been a long time ago. I didn't know you were on the train too, I thought it was just me." "That is what I thought too. I was a little bit early and fell asleep before the train left. When I woke up, I thought I smelled some animals and went to investigate. And sure enough, here you are with your zoo." He laughs, a friendly but tired laugh.  
  
"Are you going to teach at Hogwarts too?" I ask him. "No, I already did that once. But if you made me guess, I think you are going to try to teach the kids how to take care of magical animals." A happy twinkling can be seen in his eyes. He didn't change much, except for the fact that he looks like he aged faster then I did. He seems sick. "Then why are you traveling to Hogwarts in the middle of summer?" I ask, knowing it does sound a little bit nosy. "Ah, still a Ravenclaw I see. Always looking for knowledge." He teases. "Well, once a Ravenclaw, always a Ravenclaw, eh."  
  
"I think I can tell you some of it already," he starts. "There is a new You- know-who threat. He is plotting again, the activities of the Deadeaters are being noticed again too. I am going to make plans, together with Albus and the rest of the teachers, to protect Hogwarts and its students." I listen carefully. "You know that Harry Potter is attending Hogwarts?" He asks. "Yes, I know." I confirm. "Over the years he has been in You-know-who's way so many times, that he really needs to be protected. And when the try to hit Harry, they will hurt anybody in their way, students too." He sounds worried.  
  
"That does sound serious." I say. "If there is anything I can help you with, just ask." He smiles friendly, "Albus probably made sure everybody will have a task. Snape probably will get the task of being a spy." "Snape?" I ask. "Yes, Severus Snape. You know him too, he was a Slytherin when we went to Hogwarts. Skinny, tall with black hair." "Oh," I say as natural as possible. "Yes, I remember." I blush, "but I didn't know he was at Hogwarts too." "Yes," Remus says with a little smile. "He is the Potions teacher. He has been a Deadeater for a while, but now he spies on the Deadeaters for Albus." I just nod, there are no a lot of facts rolling around my head. Snape, Deadeater, Spy. I sigh.  
  
"Wait a minute," I start. "I just met the oddest creature at the platform. He was lost and he lost his Master. You think that can be related to You- know-who's plan?" I grab the parchment out of my purse and give it to Remus. He reads it carefully. "Mordor? Master Frodo?" the man across the compartment mutters. "Well, Rocky, I don't know these names."  
  
"Remus!!!" I call out in surprise. "You called me Rocky. Nobody called me like that after I graduated from Hogwarts." "Nobody?" he grins. "I always thought that was a nice nickname. And seeing you're in this train, I presume you still don't like to fly a broomstick?" "No, I still don't fly." I sigh and think back to the day I got that nickname.  
  
It was a day in my first year. From the very first flying lesson I had problems. The broomstick wouldn't listen to me and I have a terrible fear of heights. Because of that I had a tutor. The captain of the Ravenclaw- Quidditchteam was the brother of my best friend. He assured me that I would learn to fly like a real witch should. That day was a nice spring day and after classes I was being tutored. Because of the nice weather a lot of the students were outside at that moment. That's when it all went wrong, how it happened I still don't know, but my broom went higher and higher. I panicked and started to cry very loudly. What ever the brother of my friend tried, he couldn't get close to me. And that broom, it wouldn't listen to me at all. Finally Prof. Dumbledore rescued me. From that day on, I never touched an other broom again, not even to clean with. "A rock flies better then she does." Somebody called. And that is how I became Rocky. I didn't mind to much, but it isn't a real flattering nickname.  
  
The remainder of the trip, we talked about people we both know. He knew lots to tell about them. The time flew by and the train starts to slow down. "Hogwarts!!! We are here!!!" I must have sounded like a child because Remus laughs loudly. When we arrive at the station I can already see Hagrid standing there. "Come, Jared, time to get of the train." I grab all my belongings and animals and walk with Remus to the door.  
  
"Hagrid, how are you doing?" I give the gigantic man a hand. My hand disappears in his hand. "Fine, professor." I smile, it does sound weird, professor. "Come, I arranged for carriages. Prof. Boomstra, Prof. Lupin, follow me." "It isn't professor anymore, Hagrid." Remus says. "Just Remus." The giant smiles friendly. "'course, professor." Remus smiles back friendly.  
  
The ride to the castle is beautiful, and then, as if appearing out of thin air, Hogwarts. I sigh, it is magnificent and still as impressive as all these years ago. I am standing at the bottom of the steps to the big doors and am enjoying the view. "Are you coming, professor, the others are waiting for you." Hagrid says. "Just one more moment." I inhale the sweet smell of the fresh air, then I turn around and take a long look at the castle. Slowly I climb the steps to the big doors. "Welcome back, professor." Hagrid says while he holds the door open for Remus and me. I smile at him: "Thanks, Hagrid. It is good to be back."  
  
Jared bounces into the big hallway and dances around Hagrid. "A happy beast, that dog of yours." Hagrid says. I just smile and think: I wish I could dance around like Jared. I can't of course, I am a professor, not a student, unbelievable but true.  
  
"I see you still prefer traveling by train." I hear a voice from the direction of the Great Hall. "If you weren't afraid to fly a broomstick, you could have been here hours ago." I turn to face the voice. And there he is, he didn't change much, he aged, but still the same black hair, dark eyes and pale face. "Severus." I say, he nods. "Severus Snape." I say, he nods again. He still remembers me. Just like Remus, he didn't forget occurrence on the broom.   
  
I look at him and smile insecurely, the feelings I had as a girl are still there, but also the words: Deadeater and Spy are in my head now. "Welcome back, Prof. Boomstra." He says plainly. Before I can enter the great hall Hagrid approaches me. "Professor, I have an animal that needs your help. Could you please look at it tomorrow?" "Of course I can, Hagrid." I say. He smiles a relieved smile. "Thanks." He whispers.  
  
***** New Questions: 1. What kind of anima does Hagrid want to show Cor (Rocky)? 2. In the next chapter there will be a meeting about the You-know-who threat. Ideas for actions by the Deadeaters, plans for security and what kind of tasks Cor (Rocky) gets, are welcome.  
  
Please mail me or leave a review with your ideas. 


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